Old Midtown Historic District, historic district in Pennsylvania, United States
Old Midtown Historic District is a neighborhood in Harrisburg bounded by Verbeke and Forster Streets on the north and south, and Front and Third Streets on the east and west, containing buildings more than 150 years old. Most structures were built around 1875 and display diverse styles including Federal, Italianate, Second Empire, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne, and Eastlake architectural elements.
The area was originally farmland owned by wealthy families before transforming into a dense residential and commercial neighborhood after the Civil War. Around 1900, Hardscrabble, the working-class section on Front Street, was cleared to make way for Riverfront Park.
Second Street became the wealthy center of the district, where successful business owners and professionals built ornate townhomes with stylish details. The contrast with Front Street, once called Hardscrabble, reveals how different social classes lived side by side in this neighborhood.
The district sits next to the Susquehanna River near Riverfront Park and is easy to explore on foot with tree-lined streets and shade. Visitors should note that the M. Harvey Taylor Bridge, built in the 1950s, divided the neighborhood by widening Forster Street into a multi-lane road.
The Broad Street Market nearby has continuously served the area with fresh produce and local goods since the 1800s, functioning as an active hub distinct from the preserved buildings. This working marketplace deserves equal attention as it shows how the neighborhood remains alive today.
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